How to Write an Outstanding Creative Brief for Alcohol Beverage Branding

A thorough creative brief is the secret to getting the most effective, targeted, high quality work possible from your creative agency.

Why write a creative brief?

They include key contacts

They include budget and timelines

They capture all background information and mindshare

They define your audience

They set style, tone and creative parameters

They connect objectives with a strategic sales initiatives

They set the benchmarks for which the work will be judged against

A Great Creative Brief Should Include

Budget

This can seem tricky, or even sensitive at times, but you are absolutely going to get a more realistic and obtainable solution if you share your budget upfront. By sharing your budget, your creative agency may be able tailor their services and deliverables to what you are able to invest.

Timelines

There is nothing worse for a creative agency than to learn of a deadline too late in a project. Be honest and upfront and you will have the best chance of accomplishing your objectives in the available time.

Timelines can be optimized to achieve tight deadlines if all parties are honest about what is possible.

Brand team contacts

It may seem obvious, but providing the titles and contact information for all team members is essential. It is also important to establish key contacts for all communications moving forward.

Brand facts

Include all brand facts, including SKUs both existing and future, target price points, market challenges, etc.

Share your brand story, and your brand’s equity elements you’re currently using or have used in the past so that the agency is up to speed with where your brand has been and needs to move.

Identify your target consumer

Just saying you have a $20 bottle of Chardonnay, doesn’t explain who your audience is. Define the demographics by age, sex, income level, social consumption behavior, and lifestyle trends if they are available.

The more specifically you can identify your consumer, the more targeted your creative agency can be with their solutions.

Identify your brand’s competitive landscape

Give insight into whom your biggest competitors are, what they are doing in the marketplace and how you want to fit in with and/or apart from them.

Mandatories and communication hierarchy

Certainly your agency of choice should already be aware of the legal requirements of the packaging, but be clear if there are unique challenges with your product’s formula or sourcing that require something out of the norm.

Are there taglines, headlines, voice or brand standards that should be followed?

Style, tone and creative parameters

Provide parameters for design and style in writing and by sharing photographic examples to clearly lay out what you feel are appropriate creative directions for exploration.

Set clear and achievable objectives

Vague, ambiguous, or generalized goals are exactly that. Be clear about your objectives and define what success looks like.

Sure, everyone wants to increase their sales, but HOW and WHAT need to be done for your particular brand?

Your creative brief is your agency’s first glimpse into your brand, its history, failures, successes, and future direction. Make it great, and you are arming your agency with the proper tools to succeed right from the start.

David Schuemann

Drink With Your Eyes provides tips and insights into brand strategy and design for the alcohol beverage category. Since 2002, David Schuemann has been the Owner & Creative Director of CF Napa Brand Design, a creative agency specializing in wine, spirits, and beer.

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